Abstract: A manufacturing method for a print head, in which a substrate member provided with heating elements is laminated to a nozzle-formed member in which ink-ejection nozzles are formed, includes the step of laminating a correcting member having approximately the same coefficient of linear expansion as the substrate member to the nozzle-formed member. A nozzle interval L1 at an operating temperature To is determined as L1=L2 (&agr;2&Dgr;T−1)/(&agr;1&Dgr;T−1), wherein L2 is the nozzle interval and a heater interval at the operating temperature after the print head is completed; &agr;1 and is the coefficient of linear expansion of the nozzle-formed member; &agr;2 is the coefficient of linear expansion of the correcting member; T1 is the laminating temperature of the nozzle-formed member and the correcting member; and &Dgr;T is the difference between the laminating temperature T1 and the operating temperature To.

Abstract: A self-diagnosis device includes a diagnosing unit for diagnosing the condition of a printer which prints on record sheets and a displaying unit for displaying a diagnosis result based on the condition of the printer.

Abstract: A connection apparatus is disclosed which includes a connection source and a connection destination. The connection source includes information about a predetermined connection destination; and a connecting element for making a connection request to the predetermined connection destination based on the information about the connection destination and, given a permission, for automatically connecting to the connection destination. The predetermined connection destination includes a receiving element for receiving the connection request from the connection source, a judging element which, upon interpreting the connection request, judges whether the connection source is a predetermined connection source or not, and a permission granting element which, if the judging element judges the connection source to be a predetermined connection source, then grants connection permission to the connection source.

Abstract: An ink-jet printer and an apparatus and a method of driving a recording head for an ink-jet printer are provided for faithfully performing various image representations through ink droplet ejection driving signals of different waveforms. Based on a waveform selection signal from a selection controller, a waveform selector selects one of a plurality of drive signals from a drive waveform generator in a time-division manner. The selected signal is supplied to a piezoelectric element of a corresponding nozzle. Control is thereby performed on ink droplet ejection with a drive signal having a temporally varying waveform. The drive signals include a signal having a varying voltage waveform that disables ink droplet ejection in isolation from another waveform. A new composite drive signal waveform is generated by time-divisional selection not only at a point between ejection cycles but also at a point during the ejection cycle.

Abstract: A printer is selectively supplied with ink by moving a print head to an end position and bringing an ink supply element into contact with an ink absorbing material in the print head. At that time ink can be supplied to the ink absorbing material in the print head either by pressing a flexible bag containing an ink supply or by capillary action from another ink absorbing material that is impregnated with ink and that has a capillary force smaller than a capillary force of the ink absorbing material of the print head. The ink supply device is located at one end of a platen for the printer and can be rotated out of position until the print head moves to the end of the platen, at which time the ink supply device is rotated into contact with the print head. An arrangement of rotating a discoid cam can be used to apply a pressing force to the flexible bag, which includes a self-sealing valve, so that ink flows to the ink absorbing material in the print head.

Abstract: An ink-jet printer and a drive method for driving a recording head of an ink-jet printer are provided for controlling a size and a velocity of an ejected ink droplet. The ink-jet printer includes a droplet outlet orifice through which an ink droplet is ejected, an ink chamber communicating with the outlet orifice, an ink feed duct for feeding ink to the ink chamber, and a piezoelectric element for expanding and contracting the ink chamber in response to an applied voltage. A process for ink ejection includes a first step in which a meniscus in the outlet orifice is retracted towards the ink chamber by expanding the ink chamber, a second step in which the meniscus is moved towards the orifice by filling the chamber with ink, and a third step in which an ink droplet is ejected by contracting the ink chamber. The size and the velocity of the ink droplet ejected in the third step are controlled by controlling a position and a velocity of periodic travel of the meniscus at a start point of the third step.

Abstract: A developing device employing a liquid developer in which the development speed is increased and a developer squeezing operation may be eliminated while high-speed development and uniform development of the half-tone density may be realized simultaneously. The developing device includes a developer tank 53 containing a liquid developer 1 and a supply roll 3 for uniformly depositing the liquid developer 1 on the surface of the developer roll 54 from the developer tank 53. The liquid developer is comprised of charged toner particles 5A dispersed in an electrically insulating liquid. The charged toner particles 5A are made up of at least a coloring agent and a resin. The developing device also includes an electrical field impressing unit for impressing an electrical field across the liquid developer 1 deposited on the surface of the developer roll 2 for forming a liquid toner layer 6 formed by the charged toner particles 5A collected together.

Abstract: A developing method expediting the development process, eliminates squeezing and achieves both high-speed development and uniform development at a half tone density. The development method employs a liquid developer 50 comprised of charged toner particles dispersed in an electrically insulating liquid. The charged toner particles are made up at least of a coloring agent and a resin. The liquid developer 50 is uniformly deposited on the surface of the developer carrier 51 and an electrical field is impressed for generating a liquid toner layer comprised of the charged toner particles assembled together. A charge carrier 55 on which is formed an electrostatic latent image is contacted under pressure with the developer carrier 51 holding the liquid toner layer comprised of the charged toner particles assembled together in order to effect development.